Magnetic card reader

ABSTRACT

A magnetic card reader reduces the height of a magnetic head mechanism, includes a few parts, is assembled easily, and is inexpensive. The card reader includes an upper case provided with a magnetic head mounting hole and a wire spring groove for a magnetic head to move smoothly vertically, a magnetic head support mechanism, and a lower case. The magnetic head support mechanism includes a magnetic head support member, the magnetic head, and a wire spring.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a magnetic card reader forrecording and reading data on a magnetic card provided with a magneticstripe.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] A conventional magnetic card reader includes, as shown in FIG. 8,an upper case 1 having a card guide 1 a for a magnetic card 12, a lowercase 2, a card inlet port 3 for accepting the magnetic card 12, amagnetic head support mechanism 14 which is disposed on top of the uppercase 1 near the end of the card inlet port and reads data out of themagnetic card 12, and a spring holder 10 with a wire spring 6 abuttedthereon. The magnetic head support mechanism 14 includes a magnetic headsupport member 4 with a magnetic head 5 press-fitted therein, and thewire spring 6 substantially U-shaped to apply a force to the member.

[0003] The conventional card reader is assembled in the followingmanner. As shown in FIG. 9, the head support mechanism 14 is disposedfrom above the upper case 1 into a magnetic head mounting hole 1 bformed in the upper case 1 and also fitted in spring positioning groovesmade in boss-like projections at each side of the magnetic head mountinghole 1 b. The spring holder 10 is secured by spring holder retaininghooks 11 disposed on the upper case 1 in order to hold both ends of thewire spring 6 protruded from the head support mechanism 14.

[0004] In the conventional card reader with the head support mechanism14 mounted thereon, when the magnetic card 12 is inserted into the cardguide 1 a, the magnetic head 5 is pressed against the magnetic card 12by force F of the wire spring 6 on the magnetic head support member 4,thereby reading data on the magnetic stripe. Next, the data on themagnetic card 12 enters into a printed circuit board 7 via a head cable8 and is transmitted to a host computer.

[0005] In the conventional magnetic card reader, the magnetic headsupport member 4, the spring holder 10, and the spring holder retaininghook 11 are placed on top of the upper case 1 in this order, and thenthe total height of these members causes the head support mechanism 14to protrude from the upper case.

[0006] In order to lower the height position of the magnetic headsupport mechanism 14, the upper case 1 can have a space formed thereinfor accommodating the magnetic head support mechanism 14. However, thespace reduces rigidity of the upper case 1 and affecting the readingperformance.

[0007] The recent market requires a thinner magnetic head supportmechanism 14 located at the end of magnetic card reader as well as forcost down for a compact, inexpensive data terminal.

[0008] Even if a thin magnetic head 5 is mounted by a conventionalmethod for supporting the magnetic head, the spring mechanism forsupporting the magnetic head cannot be lowered in height, and thereforeeliminating a merit of the thin head.

DISCLOSURE OF TEH INVENTION

[0009] A card reader includes an upper case, a lower case fitted to theupper case forming a magnetic card guide for magnetic card between theupper case, and a magnetic head to read data on the card held betweenthe upper case and the lower case.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a card reader in a first exemplaryembodiment of the present invention.

[0011]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the card reader in thefirst embodiment.

[0012]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the card reader equipped with amagnetic head support mechanism in the first embodiment.

[0013]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a card reader in asecond exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

[0014]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the card reader in the secondembodiment.

[0015]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an elastic body of the card readerin the second embodiment.

[0016]FIG. 7A is a sectional view of a card reader in the secondembodiment.

[0017]FIG. 7B is a sectional view of an elastic body of the card readerin the second embodiment with parts around magnetic head terminalexcluded.

[0018]FIG. 8 is a sectional view of a conventional magnetic head supportmechanism.

[0019]FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional magnetichead mechanism.

DESCIRPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0020] (First Exemplary Embodiment)

[0021]FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a card reader equipped with amagnetic head support mechanism in a first exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the reader.FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the reader.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the card reader includes an upper case 1, alower case 2, an inlet port 3 for accepting a magnetic card, a magnetichead support member 4 for supporting a magnetic head, a magnetic head 5to read a magnetic signal recorded on the card, a wire spring 6 which isinserted in side grooves of a magnetic head supporter and applies aforce to the magnetic head against the card, a printed circuit board 7,and a head cable 8 for transmitting the signal read by the magnetic head5 to the printed circuit board 7.

[0023] The upper case 1 has a card guide 1 a being continuous to theinlet port 3, a magnetic head mounting hole 1 b for holding the magnetichead 5 between the upper case 1 and the lower case 2, and a springgroove 1 c on which the wire spring 6 is abutted. The magnetic headsupport mechanism 14 includes the magnetic head support member 4, themagnetic head 5 fitted thereon, and the substantially U-shaped wirespring 6.

[0024] An operation of the card reader will be described. As shown inFIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the magnetic head support mechanism 14 is inserted inthe magnetic head mounting hole 1 b of the upper case 1 while the wirespring 6 is abutted the spring groove 1 c. Then, the lower case 2 issecured to the upper case 1 with, for example, a screw. Consequently,the magnetic head 5 is securely held between the upper case 1 and thelower case 2, and a core side of the magnetic head 5 contacts with thelower case 2.

[0025] When magnetic card 12 is inserted from the inlet port 3 into thecard guide 1 a, the wire spring 6 is vertically moved up on a fulcrum 13on a bottom of the groove 1 c in the upper case, thereby applying aforce F to the magnetic head 5. Accordingly, the magnetic head 5contacts tightly with the magnetic stripe of the magnetic card 12 andreads the data from the card 12. The magnetic card 12, when beinginserted further into the card guide 1 a of the upper case 1, pushes adetector switch (not shown) installed in the back of the card guide 1 a,thereby enabling a host computer to recognize that the card 12 is fullyinserted into the card reader. The data read out of the magnetic card 12enters into the printed circuit board 7 via the head cable 8 and istransmitted to the host computer.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 3, in the card reader in the present embodiment,a conventional spring holder 10 and spring holder retaining claw 11functioning as a fulcrum for the wire spring 6 in head support mechanism14 are integrally formed inside the upper case. That is, the springgroove 1 c at each side of the magnetic head mounting hole 1 b on theunderside of the upper case are formed in the card inserting direction,and each end thereof is disposed fulcrum 13 for wire spring 6 of headsupport mechanism 14 is disposed at the end of the groove. Therefore,the head support mechanism 14 built into the upper case 1 is invisiblefrom outside.

[0027] (Second Exemplary Embodiment)

[0028]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a magnetic headmechanism in a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the mechanism. FIG. 6 is a perspectiveview of an elastic body. FIG. 7A is a sectional view of the elastic bodyhaving a reduced thickness around the magnetic head terminal insertingportion. FIG. 7B is a sectional view of the elastic body with partsaround the magnetic head terminal removed.

[0029] The card reader in the second embodiment includes, as shown inFIG. 4 and FIG. 5, an elastic body 9 disposed directly on top of amagnetic head 5 instead of a wire spring 6 fitted to a head supportmember 4 in the first embodiment. The body is shaped in substantiallysquare and a little smaller than the top of magnetic head 5. The cardreader includes a reduced number of parts since excluding the headsupport member in the card reader in the first embodiment. The uppercase 1 is provided with a stopper 1 d projecting inside the upper end ofmagnetic head mounting hole 1 b. The stopper does not touch the magnetichead terminal. The magnetic head 5 is moved up having side walls guidedalong side walls of the head mounting hole 1 b of the upper case 1. Inthat case, the elastic body 9 pressed against the stopper portion 1 dgenerates a force F applied onto the magnetic head due to a repulsion ofthe elastic body compressed.

[0030] Then, if a clearance between the magnetic head 5 and the uppercase 1 in the card running direction in the magnetic head mounting hole1 b is excessive, the clearance may cause the magnetic head 5 to beinclined. In that case, azimuth may be generated between the magneticstripe of magnetic card 12, making the magnetic head 5 to hardly readthe data. Therefore, the clearance between the magnetic head 5 and theside wall of the upper case ranges from 0.05 mm to 0.2 mm.

[0031]FIG. 6 shows the shape of the elastic body 9. Each of the fourcorners of elastic body 9 is flexible against vertical movement orrocking motion of the magnetic head 5, and has a solid round shaft shape(FIG. 7A) or hollow circular section shape (FIG. 7B) in order to providea strong force.

[0032] At the elastic body 9, a magnetic head terminal 5 a projectingfrom the magnetic head 5 is inserted into a terminal inserting portionC. In order to prevent the magnetic head terminal 5 a from a loadapplied thereto when the magnetic head 5 makes vertical movement orrocking motion with a card inserted, the body may have a thickness Aaround the magnetic head terminal 5 a less than a peripheral thickness B(FIG. 7A). The body may have a peripheral area D removed where themagnetic head terminal 5 a is inserted (FIG. 7B). The body may be madeof silicone rubber of hardness of 70 that may withstand temperaturealteration.

[0033] The above technology of the embodiments is not limited only forthe magnetic head support mechanism of an insertion type magnetic cardreader, but may be applied to a slide type card reader, a motor-operatedcard reader.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0034] According to the present invention, a card reader includes aninlet port for accepting s magnetic card, a magnetic card guide formedby an upper case and a lower case for the magnetic card, and a magnetichead for reading data on the magnetic card, which is held between theupper case and the lower case. The card reader is thin and small sinceincluding the magnetic head support mechanism accommodated in the uppercase.

1. A card reader for reading data recorded on a magnetic card insertedtherein, comprising: a first case; a second case mounted to said firstcase, for forming, between said first case, a magnetic card guide forguiding the magnetic card; and a magnetic head held between said firstand second cases, for reading the data.
 2. The card reader of claim 1,wherein said first case has a magnetic head mounting hole foraccommodating said magnetic head therein from a side of the second case.3. The card reader of claim 2, further comprising: a spring for applyinga force to said magnetic head, wherein said first case has a grooveformed around said magnetic card mounting hole, and said spring contactswith said groove.
 4. The card reader of claim 2, further comprising: anelastic body for applying a force to said magnetic head, wherein saidfirst case includes a stopper formed at an inner bottom of said magneticcard mounting hole, and wherein said elastic body is held between thestopper and the magnetic head.
 5. The card reader of claim 4, whereinsaid elastic body is made of hard rubber, and has one of a solid shaftshape and a hollow circular section shape at a rim thereof.